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One of his latest:
What a great performance! I haven't heard Tom Paxton play in oh, maybe 20 years. It was once again 'old hippie' night at Old Town. I'm at the tail end of the Baby Boom so I can only qualify as an old hippie wannabee.
Earl Pionke was there. He owned The Earl of Old Town back in the 70s, a music venue that you couldn't quite call a club, not quite a bar it was just Earl's. (Ditto for Lucille's). The acoustics were appalling, the beer even worse. Lots of the great Chicago folk singers of the 60s/70s played there - Tom Paxton (obviously), Steve Goodman, Corky Sieigel, John Prine, Jim Post, Fred and Ed Holstein (who later had their own place called...Holsteins strangely enough) are a few I remember.
I always forget that Paxton wrote a lot of songs that other artists covered or made famous (Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul & Mary, Judi Collins, Dave Van Ronk, and Joni Mitchell to name of few). They include:
Bottle of Wine, Fruit of the Vine
Ramblin'Boy
The Marvelous Toy
The Last Thing on my Mind
Who's Garden was This.
He also performed several songs from his 2009 Grammy Nominated CD 'Comedians & Angels' http://www.tompaxton.com/nimbit_store.html
How Beautiful Upon the Mountain
Out on the Ocean
What a Friend You Are
And if Its not True
Jennifer & Kate
You are Love
Comedians & Angels
In 2009 he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys.
Tom's still actively writing and recording songs of political satire (see video above).. He, Tom Leher and Steve Goodman are the three artists who inspired me to start writing political satire songs. At 72 he is still funny and warm and delight to see.
He was accompanied by The Small Potatoes a Chicago folk duo. I've not seem then perform on their own but I'm keeping my eyes open for an appearance in the city. Here's a link to their web site:
http://www.smallpotatoesmusic.com/.
Another wonderful and nostalgic night of music.
